Can Vitamin D prevent dementia?
“Taking vitamin D could help prevent dementia, study finds.”The headline from the University of Calgary quickly caught the attention of the media and maybe of your customers.
This is true. A recent study has found that Vitamin D supplementation may reduce the risk of developing dementia by up to 40%. Though the study is far from being conclusive, the Vitamin D proponents of the world ate this up and you may have found that your Vitamin D shelf took a hit when the study was released in March of this year. Don’t get me wrong, I also take Vitamin D supplements in the winter, and if it protects me from future dementia, I’m here for it. But that is not the whole story.
Though this may be a significant finding, and one that healthcare professionals should be aware of, there are other significant risk factors for dementia that we should also be educating our patients about, and I outlined the following points in this 2 minute video recently on the Friendly Pharmacy 5 channel.
Hearing impairment, for example, has been identified as a risk factor for dementia. In fact, recently “A large observational study from the United Kingdom showed a 42% increased risk for dementia in people with hearing loss compared with their peers with no hearing trouble.” Importantly, there was no increased risk in those with hearing loss who used hearing aids. Indeed, by managing and identifying hearing problems early on, individuals can help to reduce their risk of developing dementia.
What about alcohol and smoking? Studies have shown that reducing alcohol consumption and quitting smoking are also important steps in reducing the risk of dementia. “Smoking was also one of the 12 modifiable risk factors highlighted in the 2020 Lancet Commission on dementia risk. Overall, systematic reviews have estimated that there smoking confers between a 30-50% increased risk of developing dementia.”
Other studies have shown that physical activity is also crucial to maintaining a healthy brain. A combination of moderate aerobic activity, resistance training, and mind-body exercises such as meditation or Tai Chi have been shown to be very beneficial. “One particular study looked at health behaviours of over 2,000 men in Wales, and followed them for 35 years. Of the five behaviours that were assessed (regular exercise, not smoking, moderate alcohol intake, healthy body weight and healthy diet), exercise had the greatest effect in terms of reducing dementia risk. “
Participation in intellectual activities such as playing games or puzzles has also been associated with a lower risk of dementia.
There is also some evidence that following a Mediterranean diet that is high in monounsaturated fatty acids, low in saturated fatty acids, and includes a high intake of fruits, vegetables, and fiber can also help to protect against cognitive decline.
Last but certainly not least, identifying and managing sleep apnea and avoiding severe sleep deprivation (less than five hours of sleep per night) can also be protective.
Protecting the brain from dementia is an important concern for many individuals, especially as they age. While there is currently no known cure for dementia, there are steps that can be taken to help reduce the risk of developing this debilitating condition, and though Vitamin D may be part of the picture, it certainly isn’t the whole picture.
*Sometimes it’s more practical to share a video than to go over all of these points with your patients, so feel free to tell your customers about the Friendly Pharmacy 5 channel, and even give them the QR code to the video to help ensure they can access this important information which will help them put dementia risk and prevention into perspective.
